1.  Some people love them and some people hate them.  Sound familiar.  As a Girl Scout leader for many years, I heard mix feelings about marshmallows.  For some it was more enticing with chocolate, for others they would just eat the chocolate.  Needless to say Social Media is the same way, some people love it, they love connecting with others.  Others can’t stand it and think it’s a waste of time.

2.  Oh it’s so addictive.  If you are into your marshmallow being toasted just the right way.  It happens that you want more.  You can’t get enough.  Social Media is like that, you go on Facebook and all of a sudden you been pulled into the Facebook vortex.

3.  It’s for all ages!  Marshmallows never will be off the shelves.  And we will never be too old to enjoy them.  The same with Social Media anyone can use it.

4.  Mostly you can enjoy them with others.  I’m a relationship kind of Gal and nothing is better than a deep conversation around the fire with a marshmallows.  Same with Social Media there is nothing like connecting with old and new friends and bringing it to the next level.

There are so many more similarities.  You can even bring the four I mentioned and relate them to social media and your business.  Are you sick of doing marketing for your business?  Do you like meeting and sharing your business with others?  Are you spending too much time on Social media instead of doing what you are called to do?    Are you enjoying your business and sharing it with others.?  I hope so!

I hope you enjoyed this seasonal analogy of Social Media.   If you can think of any more write them down below.

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Most of you by now know I’m huge on engaging with my audience.  I’m huge on listening to my audience.  So I find it interesting how McCartney engaged his audience.  So here are the songs he wrote that I feel were cutting edge Social Media material. If you’re a cynic you would disagree with me maybe, but I will try to win you over.

1.  I Want To Tell You:  LOL our world today is loaded with people who want to tell us something.  It seems like today I even know when someone is taking a shower.  We Facebook it, Tweet it and even blog about it.  Someone out there is listening.

2. Love Me Do: Heck if it isn’t about love what is it about.  Seriously. A lot of online engagement is about feeling the love. When we write a post we sometimes say we’re hoping for some comment about love. Or it’s about being loved.  We thank people sometimes for the RT love. And there’s that little detail that people we engage with on Twitter are called followers. On Facebook – “fans.”

3. No Words:  Sometimes it really is all about pictures!  Just saying!  Go Pinterest!

4. The Fool on the Hill:  ”Well on his way his head in a cloud,
The man of a thousand voices talking perfectly loud
But nobody ever hears him, Or the sound he appears to make,
And he never seems to notice, But the fool on the hill . . . ”  Need I say more Facebook is full of them.  You know those obnoxious types.

5.  Let It Be:  “Speaking Words of Wisdom” Let it Be.  So many times I will be on line and I have a moment of learning through a quote or phrase posted by someone.  Paul seemed to have this one right.  The Let it Be Album for me was the record I listened to most.  Awesome music.  Too bad it was the end of the Beatles.  They did get to record from the rooftop how cool is that.  Talk about getting out there in a big way!

6.  The Long and Winding Road:  Somehow, Paul knew that the commitment to life was going to be a long and winding road. This song perfectly describes the Social Media experience. Anyway, to build your online community it is a long and winding road but you must go down it!

What’s most amazing is Sir Paul from fifty years ago still has the ability to Rock Me.  McCartney was prolific with the Beatles.   He was way more than a band member, he was an influencer with his words.  Paul and the Beatles created trends in music in which the masses eagerly followed.  I know I would certainly want to be the influencer in Social Media.

Social Media allows us to reach more people then we ever could before.  The first step to being a trendsetter is to make sure the quality of what you do is something to be proud of.  Paul didn’t write songs by thinking about what the fans would like, Paul wrote songs that his fans liked.

I really had fun thinking about this.  I told you Paul was all about engagement and way ahead of his time.   The Beatles wrote a lot about online engagement.  Just think of John Lennon’s song “Eight Days A Week”.  Social Media is really more than a 7 day commitment to your marketing.   How did they know all of this? I have no idea. I always knew they were geniuses.  Just saying!

Now, maybe by now you’ve uncovered other Paul McCartney songs or Beatles songs that also reveal this expertise of theirs. If you have, would you share them below for the rest of us?

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The bottom line is spending a week helping others is the greatest road I have ever taken.  The highlight of that week was being able to mentor a girl named Pinina.  She was so eager to learn.  In sharing with her and teaching her, I learned things about my self.

She was leader and was going on a month long mission to the Tannah River in Africa.  This is not a popular thing to do among African women but she decided to take the road less traveled on

Robert Frost talked about taking the road less traveled and about how that can make “all the difference” in life. We all come to crossroads throughout our lives and eventually we have to make a choice to travel down one. My question to you is will you dare to take that road into the unknown, where the trail isn’t clear and the risks may be great?

That question that I just asked is question that I have been asking myself everyday because I started down a path that many time I find my self alone and there is no one to ask directions.  Here’s the thing, I would never turn back from the path.

Successful entrepreneurs know that the scariest part of taking action is the very first step. When one comes to a fork in the road, it’s the choice to step away from the familiar path, well worn by the footsteps of others that can require the most courage. You have  got to have some courage.

On May 7^th I’m re-introducing my Social Media Café Online again. The focus of this Cafe is on learning how to keep you up to date on everything going on in Social Media and to give some ideas on how you can use social media for your business.  This is not a road many of you will take but I encourage you to consider social media to grow your business and to get your name out there in a big way.  Okay gotta run.  Jot me a note below and tell me about your road that you are taking.

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Facebook & Twitter & YouTube and Linkedin have been plastered with pictures and comments of this tragedy and many others.  It’s hard not to become desensitized by all the media coming at you.  I almost have this feeling that this should not happen this way.  So I want to explain why I think this that putting tragedy and death all over Facebook and the other social media is just crazy wrong.

Last night while on Facebook a newsfeed came through that shocked me and put me to tears.  I found out through Facebook that my friend, my pastor who performed my marriage ceremony, dedicated all 4 of my children passed away.  Friends this is no way to find out someone close to you died.  What in the world is anybody thinking posting this.  Immediately I made calls to those who were close and after I was sure that everyone knew I posted my tribute on Facebook.

So I find myself raw and uneasy about what is posted on the social platforms.  I find it a bit impersonal to say the least.  I myself apologize if I have ever posted something inappropriate.  I find myself back in tragedy mode that is still lingering from the Newtown tragedy.  When will all this nonsense stop and lives stop being torn apart?  Not sure, but maybe a first step is to stop reporting it.  Is it really newsworthy?  Today, I have posted for the picture of my blog, my running sneakers as a statement that I will still run!  Hopefully all my friends that do marathons will still run too.

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When you are given the opportunity to face a challenge, it’s important to keep in mind that although you can’t always control the situation, circumstances or the outcome, the one thing you can control is how you perceive it and how you choose to react or respond.

In other words, you have the power to decide whether it’s an obstacle or an opportunity. And knowing that, will empower you to move forward rather than staying stuck on the obstacle. So are you up for the challenge?  Do you see an obstacle come up and immediately fill with fear, hesitation and disappointment or do you look at it as an opportunity to overcome and conquer?

The frame of mind in which you view your situation can have a huge effect on how you get through that situation. If you allow thoughts of fear and failure to take over your thinking then you can often be paralyzed by it.  So how do you change your perception to ensure it becomes an opportunity and not a crippling obstacle?

1.) Choose to change your mind. -  Your mind and your thoughts are very powerful.  The key is to choose the right thoughts, especially in the tough times.  Make a conscious decision to not allow fear to control you, instead, stay in a positive frame of mind.

2.) Believe it.  – Feel it deep in your heart. Trust and know that you can do this. Believing that an obstacle is an opportunity will empower you and you’ll find strength within to overcome whatever the situation is.

3.) Be empowered by your words. – Listen to the words you speak. What you speak is what you believe and what you believe will ultimately become your own reality. So speak words to support the belief you want to have and soon it will become your reality.  Believe in yourself and your ability to overcome. Then speak the words to support that belief.

4.) Stay focused on the solution. – Don’t lose sight of the goal at hand.  Look for what you can control and work with that. If you focus on the opportunity and the solution, not the obstacle, you will be more likely to reach your goal instead of getting stuck.

There will always be obstacles in life.  Don’t allow the obstacles to keep you from your goals.  Instead, use that opportunity to stay focused, stay strong, and stay faithful.  Your next opportunity for success is already here now.  How will you perceive it?

Michelle Weimer is a personal transformation and success coach, who specializes in creating awareness and teaching mindset mastery so that her clients can achieve the lives they desire. Go to http://MichelleWeimer.com to find out more about Michelle and sign up to receive her free Transformational Change Starter Kit. Or connect with her on Facebook at http://facebook.com/CoachMichelleWeimer 

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I’m going to Africa!  This is way out of my Comfort Zone!  So I thought I would share
this poem I found to encourage you!

My Comfort Zone – A Poem
Author Unknown
I used to have a comfort zone where I knew I wouldn’t fail.
The same four walls and busywork were really more like jail.
I longed so much to do the things I’d never done before,
But stayed inside my comfort zone and paced the same old floor.

I said it didn’t matter that I wasn’t doing much.
I said I didn’t care for things like commission checks and such.
I claimed to be so busy with the things inside the zone,
But deep inside I longed for something special of my own.

I couldn’t let my life go by just watching others win.
I held my breath; I stepped outside and let the change begin.
I took a step and with new strength I’d never felt before,
I kissed my comfort zone goodbye and closed and locked the door.

~

Hope you enjoyed this poem.  When have you stepped out of your comfort zone?
Make sure you tune in next week to a great post by a guest blogger on steps you can
take to overcome obstacles to see opportunities.   Drop me line below and let me know
some steps you take to step out of your comfort zone.

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If you are trying to determine which social media forums to use for your small business, there are a few questions to ask yourself before jumping in? 

1. What demographic are you targeting to:  Age, Gender, etc.
2. On what social media sites does that demographic hang out?

We talk about just jumping into all the top social media forums because that’s what everyone does.  But let’s give this some thought.  Why should you bother with Twitter if your market isn’t paying any attention to postings there?  Just because?

NO!  A social marketing strategy involves determining where your target audience is actually spending time.  For that we need to look at what your business is and who it targets.

What type of business are you?

There are different types of relationships that we first have to uncover. The first determination to make is whether your focus should be

• B to B (Business to Business) – Examples of this would be Attorneys, Business Coaches and Virtual Assistants. If you fall into this category, you are searching for other business owners to sell your services to.

• B to C (Business to Consumer) – Real Estate agents, Life Coaches and Direct Sales Executives fall into this category.

What Social Media Forums Do You Like To Hang Out In?

Where do you spend most of your time?  Do you tweet?  Post on Facebook?  Another piece of this equation has to be your comfort level. Some clients like the personal aspect of getting to know their potential target market – while others (such as attorneys) prefer to keep it in the professional realm. A forum like Twitter usually doesn’t work for our attorney clients but is the perfect forum for our life coach.

Business vs. Personal Touch

If the majority of your clients come from business relationships versus personal relationships, you will want to focus more on LinkedIn. This is a social media and networking forum where you can join in on conversations regarding your expertise. You will find others in your industry but more importantly, you can find your target market and listen to what their challenges might be.

Real estate agents should focus on Facebook as this is a great business to consumer forum. Much of your target market looks for information in this forum and you can let your expertise shine. When you become a source of information and build trusting relationships, your business will naturally grow. And you will feel good about adding value to your clients’ lives.  You will find that your exact demographics are finding your page by checking the “insights” tab.

What are some other considerations you use when choosing your social media forums?

By Kim Letendre

Kim Letendre is founder of KAZ Works, LLC, an independent marketing firm specializing in online marketing strategies.  Kim is devoted to helping authors and small companies discover the best marketing tools that fit their personality and business model.  She helps strategize and then implement the full marketing plan.  Grab a copy of her free Marketing Pie Blueprint at www.kazworks.com to get more information on the pieces of the marketing pie available and how to strategically use them. 

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Insight one is that the past is gone.   It’s over with and it’s time to move on.  This is the time to chalk the past up as learning experiences and move on.  This is the time where we acknowledge that we have learned from past failures and successes so we can move forward.  Don’t dwell in the past.   When dwelling in the past you’re not fully living in present.   What happens then is you miss the opportunities that are placed before you.  In my business I was so stuck on my past experience and knowledge in another business that I was unable to movie forward.  I was unable to see that there was a vast difference in the way a business started up back then than the way it is done now.  If you’re still using the past to guide your business now you will miss out on what’s in front of you.  There are so many new marketing practices.

Insight two is I learned to network.  I go out to networking events all the time.  I’m constantly meeting new people.  Not only am I meeting new people in person but I’m meeting people online too.  Meeting new people helps you to move forward because you can learn from them.  Plus you may even be able to help them.I’m in a BNI group and I have learned so much by my colleagues in my chapter.  Collectively they have much knowledge on doing business in 2013.  They are in the trenches with me.  They help me stretch and grow.

This leads me to my final insight, which is about stretching and growing.  Over the past few years I’ve been stretching and growing in my life, in my business and in my friendships.   This has taken on many forms.   Such as being coached in my life and in my business.  Coaching for me has changed me to the core.  I highly recommend it for life and business.  Coaching has helped me move forward in what I do now, which is to help other business owners with their social media marketing needs.  Basically it helped me get out of my own way.  If I stood still, doing what I always did, I would have never moved forward.  If you’re not stretching and growing in your life and with your business you are dead!   Seriously, the picture above with the words, “Moving Forward” with fire coming out them remind me of passion and vibrancy and life.  Moving forward helps you live your life fully and brings your business to the next level.

So WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MOVE FORWARD?  Drop me a line and let me know how you move forward in your life and business.

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Do you struggle with consistency with Social Media?   Do you find that you make using Social Media for your business hard?  We all sometimes struggle to keep the marketing funnel continuously flowing.  I’m trying to keep the Social media marketing going so I can continue to reach out and touch people while I serve clients.  I find myself wondering how long will it take to build my list to where I expect it to be.  Will I ever arrive?   I find myself 60 days into the new year and I am already treading water.  Can someone throw me a floating device now!  Better yet, can I just go to the beach and lie in the sun!

Here’s the thing, here I am the one who helps other people with their social media and I confess I find it to be daunting sometimes.  I wonder if all the effort that I put in will ever pay off.  Will I be able to serve many?   I began to realize that the expectations I had were making it harder than it was.   Then I had one of my “aha” moments that changed my way of thinking.   I was reading this awesome book by Danielle Laporte called “The Fire Starter Sessions”.   In the book she asked this question; “What would your life be like if you did only what was easy?  That one question changed my perspective.  It made me think about how I sometimes choose all the hard things to do first instead of the easy things or the easy steps.  I had this false belief that easy is bad.   Guess what it’s not true.   She gave this illustration in her book that went like this.   “There’s a charming cartoon sketch that shows this little guy at the base of Mount Everest.  He’s staring in awe at a secret, hidden stairway that’s been built into the backside of the mountain.  It leads straight up to the peak.  The sign says LITTLE-KNOWN ENTRANCE.”  So my big what if is:  ”What if “Keep on, Keeping on” is easy?”  It is one step at a time to the top!

So  these four words continue to whisper in my head, “Keep on! Keeping on!”  I’m here to tell you that I understand how the very actions of posting a blog or newsletter, or writing more can be done one step at a time.   Attending business events can get to be overwhelming but do it one step at a time.  I understand that sometimes there are obstacles in moving forward, but you can’t move forward without a first step!  I really get that we each have to take it one step at a time because it’s a journey, not a destination!

I believe the best way to “Keep On, Keeping on” is by staying consistent, even when it’s a struggle.  For instance the mere fact that it’s 11:28 pm on Thursday night and I’m writing this shows that I’m dedicated to being consistent. Mostly, I took the first step to type on my laptop.  Very Easy!  I’m dedicated to growing my business and doing what it takes one step at a time.   Mostly, I want to continue to be myself by being real in my business one step at a time.  How I do that is by “Keeping on” one step at a time!  How about you?

Do you struggle sometimes with the everyday tasks growing your business with Social Media?  What steps do you take to have a system in place that keeps you moving?  What do you find to be overwhelming?  What are you doing to keep on, keeping on?   Better yet how can I help you to keep on, keeping on?   Drop me a line below and let me know what your biggest need is when it comes to Social Media?  I would love to make it easy for you!

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